Shout your happy news to the world!!!

[Parson]

Hey, great Menion. 400 Euros more is either a nice raise, (yearly); a really good raise (monthly); or an order of magnitude raise weekly.

Hoping for the last for you.

[Leisha]

So.... my good news? Well, it's news for Seph, really. He got an email from his university saying that he'd been awarded the top prize for the highest academic performance in his first year!!!

The prize is a tidy sum of cash that neither of us expected!


In other good news (just as good, in fact!), me, Seph, and Tillane had a mini Chrons meet-up!!! Till came to Scotland, and we had a night in Edinburgh together, where we just chatted and chatted... and chatted... to the point of not seeing much of Edinburgh (), and then he spent a night in Dundee. It was brilliant! He's such a great man!


I suppose I have other good news as well, in a way. I've been quite disappointed about it, really, but Seph convinced me to see things positively, so....

I wrote two short stories! One is 10k words, the other is 6k. I'd written them for a deadline of yesterday, but my illness doesn't let me write when I want or need to, so I didn't get to polish up both stories in time... and consequently I missed the deadline. I SO wanted to send the stories off, though! They were for two great anthologies I wanted to try for, since I've never written and tried to publish short stories before...

The great news is that one of the small presses has let me have an extra deadline of a month! Fingers crossed I can make my story good by then... I read the story the other day and thought it sucked. But then... that always happens to me, and then I pick myself up and keep editing...

[Triceratops]

Well, I did win the first place grand prize in a YA novel writing contest, sponsored by a small publisher. They offer an advance and publication. Thing of it is, I'm going to have to politely decline the offer, since I crossed paths with my agent's subs, which I didn't know were out there. She's not mad or anything like that, but of the opinion that if it's that good, we should test it fully on the major markets and see if we get a salute or not.

In this case, I believe in going after two in the bush rather one in the hand. There's a sad irony to it. Never won anything like this in my life.

chris

[Leisha]

I do think better things lie on the horizon for you, Tri, if the MS is *that* good! Well done.


Also, I've never won anything either. Unless you count getting the millionth post here...

[Triceratops]

Thanks, Leisha. It had one major near miss then four full requests in a row. It might be a pretty good book, but a thorough edit, it end up outstanding. I guess it's worth the gamble.

chris

[Shane Enochs]

Getting married in six days

[Vertigo]

Wow congratulations all round!

Steph, that's awsome news you must be immensly proud. Well done!

Leisha, if at least one has given you an extended deadline they clearly think you are worth the wait.

Tri, congratulations on the win... sort of As Leisha says it must be good!

And, Shane, speaking as a confirmed old bachelor I feel I should be offering commiserations, but no, Congatulations for six days time. Best said now, wouldn't want to rely on my unreliable old memory cells firing in six days time. Congratulations indeed

[Leisha]

Wow, yes - congrats Shane! Happy day indeed! I wish you and your missus-to-be all the best for the future.


And.... strangely, no, Vertigo. The editor has never seen anything of mine, and I've never had anything published. I only chat with him occasionally online if I have something worth saying, but he's always been friendly. He was the one who invited me to try writing for his antho, since he saw that I write.

...which means I SO have to make my story worthy! It's about time I gave publishing a shot, though. I've been writing for ten years - mostly the same fantasy story in different variations, because I *still* haven't made it fit my expectations. And now I'm trying short stories, too, which has been fun (and both my short stories have been huuuugely influenced by Lovecraft!).


Queue the rejections!

[Ursa major]

Originally Posted by Shane Enochs

Getting married in six days

Many congratulations.

[alchemist]

Originally Posted by Shane Enochs

Getting married in six days

Good luck!

[Vertigo]

Well I've some good news (though probably boring for anyone but myself). The business I co-own has just ended it's financial year and after seven years in business we have made a profit for the first time!!! And prospects look good for next year.

So I'm happy!!!

OK it's only small-fry, about 20k profit, but it means that for the first time I won't be putting any more of my own money in and we can actually start paying ourselves something more than a subsistence wage.

*Does a little dance around the office*

[anivid]

Congrats Vertigo
You DID it
Very glad to be hearing that.

Turning point, turning point :-)
- go treat yourself to an ice cream - - or tea if you prefer

[Vertigo]

Thanks Anivid, and yes I believe it to be a turning point! Since the sun's over the yardarm, I feel a wee dram of malt whisky might be in order

[pyan]

Well done, Vertigo! Can I take it that it's not a small market garden company, then?...

[Ursa major]

Well done, Vertigo (and all those helping to make it a success).








But a note of caution: only spend the profit when it's been turned into hard cash.